Before you get carried away

Before you get carried away with Michael Owen's fast start against Asia's select, here's SAF to throw some cold water on your plans.

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that he plans to use Michael Owen as little as every 10 days as he confirmed he was looking to employ the striker as an impact player at Manchester United.

Owen has begun his United career as well as he could have expected, scoring twice in two games during the champions' tour of Asia, the second coming in today's 2–0 win here over a Malaysia XI. But Ferguson indicated he saw him as support to the existing strike pairing of Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov. "We can carry Michael Owen. I won't ask him to play every four days, I might ask him to play every 10 days," the manager said. "We can do it because I always rotate my squad."

Good and bad here for fantasy managers. First we've confirmed the obvious that Rooney/Berbatov is United's starting front-line. However, we've also confirmed that SAF will be rotating his strikers. I would guess we'll see a lot of Macheda and Owen coming on for Berbatov late in matches, and getting the occassional start depending on the schedule. I still think Rooney is a safe play, and likely Berbatov as well, but I do think that there will be weeks of intense frustration where they don't make the starting eleven or come off early in matches.

Caveat fantasy emptor.

Around the Premier League

An all-encompassing round-up of the Premier League's weekend action -- on the pitch, in the boardroom and on the treatment table.

Friendlies
Jo at the double for Toffees
Posh slayed by slick Villa
Arsenal held on Rosicky's return
City plundered by Pirates
Owen nets winner on debut
Thomas nets on Tigers debut
Round-up: Spurs ease to win
Cherries suffer Spurs defeat
Grant strike sinks Latics
Round-up: Blackburn hold Roma
Round-up: Stoke embarrassed

Transfers
Adebayor completes City move
Wigan finalise Scotland deal
Manucho heads to Valladolid
Everton reject Man City bid for Lescott
Forest agree Gunter fee
Thomas handed Tigers chance
Villa sign Downing

Injuries
Arteta taking recovery slowly
Ferguson sets date for Hargreaves return
McShane concern for Bruce
Cole has new knee knock

Shock and Awe

Owen completes surprise Man Utd move
Owen completes stunning Manchester United move

and now,

Obertan shocked at United move

Why is the predominant emotion involved in Manchester United's transfer dealings shock and surprise? That certainly doesn't bode well, does it?

I think at the moment that they are doing what they can to address needs (Owen at reserve striker) and build their squad (Obertan). I don't doubt that we'll see more from them this transfer window, be it someone from Real Madrid's bench like Huntelaar or Sneijder or a Ribery "type" player (if not Ribery himself), who can come right into the first team and make an impact.

They've got the shock. Now they need the awe.

Premier League Transfer Round-Up

Zhirkov 'a Chelsea player'
Chelsea sign Russian winger Zhirkov
Zhirkov is a realy quality player, but I'm not sure I understand this signing.  Neal seems to think that there was already a deal in place and given Chelsea's Russian ties, it makes sense.  But Florent Malouda and Ashley Cole finally started clicking on the left-hand side for Chelsea and you wouldn't think it worthwhile to break that up.  The only thing I can think of is that FloMa moves infield as a second striker and Zhirkov plays out wide.  Now if he's also listed as a defender in the fantasy game... +10 for sure!

Foster inks new Man Utd deal
Now the only question is where will Ben Foster play this season on loan?  Hopefully it's a half-decent Premier League side though most teams seems to be settled at keeper.  Maybe Portsmouth tries to cash in on James and gets Foster on loan for a season until their ownership situation is settled.  And speaking of loan signings...

Jo set for Everton deal
Seems good business for all involved.  Well, if you don't count the 18million that Citeh paid to CSKA Moscow.  That looks like a bit of a waste now, doesn't it?  But clearly Hughes doesn't rate Jo, despite his good form at Everton.  On the other hand, Moyes gets to keep a player who flourished in his system (at least at Goodison Park) and hopefully will get to play him in tandem with Yakubu.  After all, Jo only looked an 18million player when partnered with Wagner Love.

Fiorentina ponder Melo swap
Felipe Melo for Emmanuel Eboue?  For most Arsenal fans, I think this falls into the category of "I'll drive him to the airport!".  But what is it with Wenger and Brazilian holding players?  First Silva, then Denilson and now Melo?   It's like going to France for the beer.  Or Italy for the hamburgers.

United favourites to bag Obertan
Obertan on brink of Man Utd move
French ace set for United
Another for the future, or with Cristiano Ronaldo gone, on for the here and now?  Tosic, Nani, Park and possibly Rooney akready give SAF options on the wing.  But none have the experience or the game-changing skills that United will need next season.  None, save for Rooney and I'm thinking that it is less and less likely that he'll be deployed through the middle.  Perhaps a front three of Rooney, Berbatov and Samuel Eto'o trying to replicate Eto'o's Barcelona from this season just past?

Martin makes Ipswich switch
Not Premier League, but with an opening like this... "Ipswich manager Roy Keane has raided former club Manchester United to sign winger Lee Martin for an undisclosed fee."... I couldn't resist an "who could have seen THAT coming?  Next thing you know he'll sign a former Ireland teamate! Sheesh!

And the big news of the week, which at this point seems so long ago:

Owen completes surprise Man Utd move
Owen completes stunning Manchester United move
Let's break it down, blog roundtable style.

[09:31] Neal J Thurman: Mikey Owen as the new Ole?
[09:31] Neal J Thurman: 3rd striker behind Roonaldo and Berbs?
[09:31] JSpitzberg: that the latest rumour?
[09:31] Neal J Thurman: y
[09:32] JSpitzberg: interesting
[09:32] JSpitzberg: still don't like it
[09:32] JSpitzberg: but interesting
[09:32] JSpitzberg: why spend all that money on him
[09:32] Neal J Thurman: apparently the odds have moved from 20/1 to 7/4 in the last day or so
[09:32] JSpitzberg: when you have a bunch of young guys you can use as impact subs?
[09:33] Neal J Thurman: not ready for big stage, etc.
[09:33] JSpitzberg: and give them the experience you can capitalize on in the future
[09:33] Neal J Thurman: same reason you don't want to have to count on Bendtner at ARS or Di Santo at CHE
[09:34] Neal J Thurman: he actually seems like the perfect solution for them - no transfer fee, probably not crazy wages, can limit his minutes and play younger guys to "keep him fresh"
[09:34] JSpitzberg: is he free?
[09:34] Neal J Thurman: y
[09:34] JSpitzberg: out of contract?
[09:34] Neal J Thurman: y
[09:35] JSpitzberg: can cover attacking mid too
[09:35] JSpitzberg: still not convinced it's money well spent
[09:35] JSpitzberg: but can't argue w/ it on football terms
[09:36] Neal J Thurman: guess it comes down to the salary he wants and the opportunity cost of that money - not sure what their options are at this point
[09:36] Neal J Thurman: save money for midfielders, i guess
[09:37] JSpitzberg: waiting for the madrid fire sale
[09:37] Neal J Thurman: bring Ruud back
[09:37] JSpitzberg: if you want someone old and past it that can give you a spark...
[09:37] JSpitzberg: why not robben?
[09:37] Neal J Thurman: why not both :-)
[09:37] JSpitzberg: ha
[09:37] JSpitzberg: sure

Toon Reach Owen Settlement

"My liver! My liver!

Newcastle will receive a total compensation package of around £10million for the injury that kept Michael Owen sidelined for more than 10 months, according to the Evening Chronicle.

Owen, 27, suffered knee ligament damage against Sweden in the World Cup last summer and only returned to action in the Magpies' Premiership clash with Reading on May 1 this year.

Well, between this and the £9million he'll sell for (if they're lucky), Newcastle could actually make a profit on the £17million they spent on Owen. And if he sold a couple of jerseys along the way, even better.

Duff, Viduka, and Milner up front for NUFC, please!

Big Sam Wins Race For Smith

"We're getting the band back together!"

Newcastle are believed to have beaten Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Tottenham to the signing of Manchester United striker Alan Smith.

Magpies boss Sam Allardyce has been a busy man since taking the reins at St James' Park, and is now reported to have added Smith to his list of new recuits, which includes Mark Viduka and Joey Barton.

The Toon chief has moved for Red Devils hitman Smith after discovering that strikers Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins have get-out clauses written into their contracts.

And 26-year-old Smith, who signed a five-year deal in 2004, is ready to leave Old Trafford after being told he will not be offered a new contract.

The former Leeds forward has many admirers, with Gareth Southgate, Martin O'Neill and Martin Jol all keeping tabs on his situation.

But he is believed to have been lured to the North-East by the promise of regular first-team football, which he is unlikely to get at the Theatre of Dreams due to the summer arrivals of Portuguese ace Nani and Brazilian star Anderson.

First Viduka, now Smith. Kewell is available from Liverpool. Danny Mills is persona non grata at Man Citeh (nil). Ian Harte wants to return from Spain. David Batty... well, I guess he already paid his dues at NUFC. "Bakke and Brann have a "gentlemen's agreement that Bakke can leave Brann if a big club want to sign him." (Insert your own joke about "does NUFC qualify" here.) Gary Kelly is still at Leeds who are now in the second (third) division, and NUFC do need a new fullback.



It's all falling into place for David O'Leary... I mean Sam Allardyce.



So does this mean that Owen and Martins are likely to leave, and not just available to leave?

Oops, that's Rowan and Martins. Either way, it's a comedy duo.

Martins Shock For Big Sam

Do the kids still say "mad hops"?

Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins reportedly has a £13million get-out clause in his contract.

The Nigerian striker signed for the Magpies just last summer for £10million, but new boss Sam Allardyce was shocked to discover a similar clause in Martins' contract to that of strike partner Michael Owen, according to The Evening Chronicle.

Owen could quit the club if someone offers £9million for his services, leaving Allardyce in the nightmare position of not knowing if his top two strikers will be at the club for the beginning of next season.

Martins recently said he was happy at Newcastle, but the north-east newspaper claims Arsenal will make a move if they lose Thierry Henry.

I don't know about Oba to Arsenal, but I'm still pushing for Big Sam to utilize his 4-3-3 with Duff, Viduka, and Milner.